Smith scores 2, Vegas tops Sharks 3-1 to give DeBoer 500th W
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Reilly Smith scored twice and the Vegas Golden Knights defeated the San Jose Sharks 3-1 on Tuesday night.
The victory snapped a two-game skid for the Golden Knights and gave coach Peter DeBoer his 500th career win.
Vegas is third in the Pacific Division with 64 points, one back of the Los Angeles Kings and six behind the front-running Calgary Flames.
With the game tied 1-all in the second period, Jonathan Marchessault fed Smith, who scored on a rush to put Vegas ahead.
Smith scored again in the third for his 22nd career multigoal game when Marchessault fed the slot and William Karlsson was there to deflect the puck to Smith at the doorstep for a tap-in.
Keegan Kolesar also scored for Vegas. Robin Lehner returned after missing five games and made 16 saves.
Noah Gregor scored for San Jose. James Reimer made 10 saves in the first period but didn’t return due to a lower-body injury. Zachary Sawchenko stopped 18 shots over the final two periods.
Kolesar beat Reimer in the first to give Vegas a 1-0 lead when he one-timed Brett Howden’s cross-ice pass.
The Sharks got on the board early in the second after Nick Bonino whiffed on his shot and the puck bounced fortuitously to Gregor, who knocked it past Lehner.
UP NEXT
Sharks: Host the Nashville Predators on Saturday.
Golden Knights: Host the Boston Bruins on Thursday.
___
More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports